The Journey of Olicity
by lesliewwrites
Summary: From their very first meeting at the beginning, to the Season 2 finale.
1. The Two-Year Long Journey

He simply wanted her to help him retrieve some information from the laptop so he could get ahead of the assassin's plans. But then she started babbling, tripping over her words in a futile bid to try to not offend him. Her verbosity caused by nerves on seeing the stepson of her big boss appearing at her desk made a smile spread across his face for the first time since he returned. Even he, himself, was surprised at his genuine reaction.

She was cute, but he was no longer the playboy he was when his father's ship sank. Mustering up a polite demeanor aided by the smile which refused to drop off his face, he told her his request. The excuse he gave was the best he could think of, delivered as convincingly as he could. Still, the tilt of her head indicated that she knew he was lying, but she let it go out of sheer curiosity of his motives. Plus, how does one refuse a direct order from your boss's stepson, who had just returned from the grave and had a devastatingly handsome smile at that?

**X-X-X**

Little did she know that the one request would turn into many more — like a bad habit he couldn't break. She was irritated at his obvious lies (how stupid did he think she was, anyway?), but she was also intrigued about this underground operation he was hiding. Her instincts told her that he had a good reason to lie, yet she never confronted him directly for fear of knowing exactly what she had gotten herself into.

He, on the other hand, found himself relying more and more on this genius who could navigate amazingly in the pathways of the ones and zeros. His excuses were getting flimsier too, and even his stony-faced bodyguard, his reluctant partner in crime, couldn't refrain himself on commenting on it.

Then one day, she approached him with a request of her own. They met at a little diner and he could sense her hesitation about bringing this matter to his knowledge. Her admission that she knew he had been lying to her came as no surprise, but he couldn't help but feel a little conceited and flattered when she confessed that she felt she could trust him.

He wanted to leave her out of it, but what his investigations revealed took a toll on him. He was blinded by his love for his mother, and he paid dearly for it. He got shot and even though he was battling with his fading consciousness, he managed to make his way to her car. At that moment, it was as if his heart was reiterating to him the things that she said about trusting him. He trusted her too.

**X-X-X**

Since she came fully on board the team, they had been able to achieve so much more. Her insightfulness and quick-thinking lessened some of his burdens, and her relationship with their other partner felt right at home. She was the heart of the team and that baby heart was growing stronger day by day.

She told him she had her own agenda and that she would leave once she had achieved it, but he knew better. Her righteous spirit would never allow it. He was right. She stayed and he had the privilege of watching her confidence grow, as she spoke her mind more and more often, refusing to be on the sidelines of this warpath he had set on. Increasingly, he found himself drawn to her, unable to resist a smile at her unrestrained chatter. Sometimes, he's allow himself a little elbow touch when she seemed down — just to comfort her, he rationalized.

When she stumbled across his little "indiscretion" on their mission in Russia, she tried to act nonchalant but failed terribly. But her silence and well-placed judging looks made him uneasy so he gave her a heartfelt explanation to disguise how inadequate he really felt. She knew he was deflecting, but she meant it when she said she thinks he deserves someone better. It just never occurred to her that that someone could be herself.

**X-X-X**

He valued her independence and stubborn attitude, even when it got her into trouble. Seeing her threatened by a sadistic psychopath, he lost his cool and loosed three arrows right into the culprit, breaking his 'no-kill' policy. But he didn't blame her — he couldn't. He only felt protectiveness towards her because of how significant she was to him. There was no choice to make.

Through the course of an investigation, she met a boy and they formed a bond. He fumed over the thought that she trusted the boy with his secret, a secret that was never hers to tell. When the boy got struck by lightning and she had to shuttle between two cities, he realized how much he had grown to depend on her. In a rare moment of jealousy, he started an argument with her. But her fierce comeback showed that she wouldn't take nonsense from anyone anymore, not even him.

He made his peace with her after, and she accepted it graciously. It was water under the bridge.

**X-X-X**

She was as bad a liar as him. He once saw her struggle to conceal something she knew was obviously important to him. She said she was afraid of losing someone that important to her if she revealed the secret, so he reassured her that she would never lose him. She did not correct his assumption. The news angered him, but his rage and disappointment was never and could never be directed at her.

She began to question her place in the team when a girl he knew from way back, an assassin, joined their team. Her attempts at trying to not be "left out", like taking up combat training, putting herself right in the path of danger, up till taking a bullet for the girl, were strangely endearing, albeit a little exasperating. She was used to being his girl, she had said. He thought she knew, but he still said it because she needed to hear it. She would always be his girl. And his girl approved of his new assassin girlfriend.

**X-X-X**

Eventually, the race to outwit his adversary gave him tunnel vision. He had retreated into this mental prison where even she couldn't shake him out of, despite her pleading. In the end, she got downright upset when he decided to go back on the self-pity wagon and she decided to dish out some tough love. When all hope seemed lost, her words pulled him back again and again. Then, she said something that gave him a bird's-eye view of the situation. It was the perfect storm and he was going to take all the advantage he could from it.

* * *

Her racing heart deflated a little when she felt something hard and cool being pressed into her hands. "Do you understand?" he asked, gazing into her eyes. Her comprehension may have been mingled with a touch of confusion, but something in her swelled at the fact that he was entrusting her with this important task. He was treating her as an equal and respecting the fact that she wanted to be in the fight with him and the rest of the team and trained assassins and what not, despite having next to none physical training in combat. He knew her well, and once again, in his way, he was telling her that he knows she wants to and can do more.

He knew she would understand. That was why when they were headed over to the mansion, he never felt the need to tell her the plan. A little perverse part of him needed to see her unguarded reaction to his confession and he needed her to believe it, if only for a little moment. Then he could keep these perfect seconds in his mind forever. He saw the emotions play out in her eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to smile, knowing that he was using her as bait, that she would willing let him do so, just to save the city.

**X-X-X**

He loved watching her babble — the way her lips moved rapidly, the cogs turning in her brain. He could read the tinge of hurt in her voice, but she was resilient, strong and wouldn't allow herself to wallow. That was what he loved most about her. If only you knew, he mused, smiling ambiguously. How could she have thought that he would leave her sitting on her hands while the others risked their lives to save the city? No, she was too much of a heroine for that.

But he wouldn't let her know. He was being selfish. He wanted to hold the truth in his heart. But in a way, he was being selfless to her because it wouldn't be fair to her, not right now, for him to take that special place in her heart that she had already unconditionally given to him. To rightfully take that place, he wanted to prove his worth, to himself and her.

"We both did," he said, knowing full well what experts liars they both were.


	2. The Kiss

Oliver was still trying to figure out what was happening. Minutes ago, he had received a call from Felicity and his heart had nearly stopped when she demanded that he get over to the hospital _immediately_. Even though she didn't sound like she was weak or injured, his first instinct was to drop the arrowheads he was sharpening in their new foundry and get on his bike. He made it to the hospital in record time. Only when he saw her, still wearing the little fuchsia dress with that distracting cut-out at the decollete, waiting anxiously at the front lobby, did he realize that his fear and worry had made the ride seem longer than the five years he spent as a castaway — something he never thought was ever possible.

Felicity rushed over to him as he was dismounting and said just two words, "Come. Now." He didn't even have the chance to ask her what was the hurry before she slipped her hand into his and pulled him along. As he tagged behind her, looking at her purposefully weaving through countless corridors in the hospital wing, her heels clicking away on the linoleum flooring, only one thought crossed his mind: Felicity had been his beacon ever since _he_ walked into the IT department at QC, her wit and her belief in him overshadowing anyone else in his life.

Felicity stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, taking Oliver by surprise. The sudden move put their faces inches apart, even closer than when he had tried to ask her out for dinner last week.

"Whoops!" Felicity exclaimed, embarrassed.

Oliver decided that he approved of the blush spreading through her cheeks.

"So, have you decided to tell me what's so urgent that we have to be here right now?"

Felicity nibbled at her lower lip and hesitated. "I know you are on the outs with Diggle now… but Lyla's in labour. I didn't want to tell you because I know how it is, with you and your pride. And Dig's too. But I know he would want you to be here…"

Felicity's admission made Oliver gazed at her in adoration. This was the woman who made everything right — even without consciously trying, she was succeeding. She was still babbling, like she always did when she was nervous. He liked that about her. He also liked how her blonde ponytail bobbed when she was talking.

"Thanks," Oliver said, leaning closer to Felicity.

Felicity's jaw dropped. "Really? I'd prepared a whole long lecture because I thought you'd be upset."

"Really. Thanks, Felicity. You're the best." Oliver cupped her face with one hand and pulled her closer by the small of her waist with the other.

"You're really not upset?" Felicity's voice was breathless. She felt lightheaded all of a sudden, and she reached out her hand to the crook of his arm and leaned forward unconsciously.

"No," Oliver insisted softly.

"I'm the best?" Felicity wasn't sure what she was talking about anymore.

"Yes. You're the best," Oliver repeated sincerely, before kissing the most compelling smile he had ever known.

* * *

_A/N: I had too many feels after seeing THE Olicity (almost) Kiss and I had to get something down. I hope you enjoyed it!_


End file.
